Brands as Productive Assets: Concepts, Measurement, and Global Trends

The paper measures and analyzes brands from an economic (i.e., intangible capital)point of view. First, we describe how a productive role for brands is consistent with assumptions used in the economic analysis of innovation. Second, we analyze the conditions under which brands are long-lived productive assets and contribute to economic growth. Third, we review and improve the measurement of investment in brands. The paper concludes with a discussion of a new U.S. series for brand investment to cover all marketing, including “in-house” investment, and a harmonized global indicator of brand investment covering 64 countries.